Stories for March 2007

Argentina's current administration has no foreign policy, government meddling is threatening the economy and concentration of power in the Executive is not healthy for democratic institutions points out Roberto Lavagna former Economy Minister and the leading opposition candidate for next October presidential election.

Persistent rainfall and floods in central and east Argentina have killed eleven people and forced the evacuation of at least 50.000 according to the latest Saturday official reports from the affected provinces.

United States and Brazil invited El Salvador to become the pilot country for the production of ethanol thus helping to save on hydrocarbons, was confirmed in El Salvador by the country's president Elias Antonio Saca.

Residents from the Argentine province of Entre Rios and environmentalists begun Saturday an eight days coordinated blockade of all three accesses to neighboring Uruguay in protest for the construction of a pulp mill which they claim will cause irreparable damage to the environment.

Oil prices briefly surged above US$66 a barrel yesterday, driven to new six-month highs by the fear that strained relations between Iran and the West could put exports in jeopardy, as US gasoline inventories are declining and demand is strengthening.

Argentina took a step further Thursday in its diplomatic rift with the United Kingdom by announcing the creation of a register of oil companies which will not be allowed to operate on the mainland if engaged in exploration or any kind of production on the Falkland Islands.